Chris Harper, known for his role as nurse Trixie’s brother Geoffrey Franklin in the popular BBC series Call the Midwife, has confirmed he will be returning to the show.
Harper, who delighted fans with his appearance in the 2024 Christmas special, revealed he will reprise his role eight years after his departure from the series.
The 47-year-old actor, recently seen portraying the villainous Nathan Curtis in ITV’s Coronation Street, expressed his enjoyment of playing Geoffrey, a character vastly different from his Corrie role.
He stated: “I’m hoping very soon Geoffrey from Call the Midwife will be making his return to Poplar. The series that’s on telly at the moment, I will be appearing again at the back end of. Which I absolutely love doing.”
He further praised the cast and crew of Call the Midwife, saying, “They talk about a family atmosphere. That’s the cast and crew of Call the Midwife. It’s just a joy to be part of. And I love playing that character because he’s such a fixer. He’s a lovely guy, but he also comes in and helps people. So he’s the absolute polar opposite of Nathan.”
In an interview with The Sun, Harper added: “He’s [Geoffrey] a completely different character. And when I get spotted in the street, I definitely inherited niceness. There are people who know that Geoffrey from Call the Midwife is lovely, so I think they just assume I am. And so I benefit from that. Nobody’s ever met me on the street and assumed I’m like Nathan.”
Viewers of the beloved series Call the Midwife, set in the East End of London during the late 1960s, can look forward to another episode tonight on BBC One.
However, fans will have to be patient for the following instalment, as the show is taking a brief hiatus, reports the Mirror.
The BAFTA Film Awards are set to take over the Sunday slot on February 16, meaning that episode 7 of Call the Midwife will now be broadcast on Sunday, February 23, at the regular time of 8pm.
In the upcoming episode, Joyce faces a tough situation when a mother encounters postnatal complications, and a council strike leads to an outbreak of Weil’s disease. Meanwhile, Cyril’s life is about to change unexpectedly.
At the recent Radio Times Covers Party 2025, some cast members shared teasers about their characters’ futures. Helen George, who portrays Trixie Franklin, was questioned about the potential return of her on-screen husband Matthew to Poplar.
She responded with intrigue: “Who knows! It’ll be interesting to see what happens there. At the moment, I don’t know, and I’m excited to find out what happens.”
Regardless, it seems Trixie’s brother Geoffrey will be around to cheer her up.
Catch Call the Midwife on Sundays at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer.